Record number of trains 'on time' (BBC News)
 

Nine out of 10 trains ran on time over the last year - the highest proportion since records began in 1992, Network Rail says.

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Why did records only begin in 1992 ?

Probably the first journeys run by any private operator or TOC occured in 1992?

Wouldn't make sense to include British Rail's stats, as it's a bit unfair to the TOC's to compare them to a completely different model.

According to Network Rail's website comprehensive records only started in 1997.

"National train punctuality measured for all trains across every day did not start to be recorded until 1997. Before then Railtrack & BR before it measured most services - those during peak periods (and variations) and so the percentages from 1992 to 1997 are extrapolations of the best figures available. No credible numbers exists pre1992 but anecdotal evidence from numerous senior ex-BR managers indicate that performance under BR was never better than it was in the 90s"

Maybe this type of record keeping only started with the increased use of computers in the 1990's??

Guessing they didn't include Darlington in these records then :D

As said it was probably computerisation that made the data easier to handle post 1992. The data is probably somewhere for the earlier era, but not in an easily computable format.